Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-11-17
CALIFORNIA SLAVERY AND THE
SLAVE TRADE.


boldest and most cruel of any in Califor-
MIA, who pursued the victim Rev. Mr.. Fill
ben rescued from one of their dens last
week, have met with second defeat. They
attempted by force to drag the woman
back TO bondage by The assault of mob in
the open street, and in broad day they
attempted at Davisville to force her from
the train; at Elmira they sought by the
aid of Constable to carry her of, having
by some chicanery secured from Constable
Kineaid, of Davisville, Geographic order
to the Elmira peace officer to take her at
all hazards; at the San Francisco landing
a mob Of highbinders was ready to seize
her, but they were outwitted, and the
woman safely lodged in charitable mis-
sion. Their next move was to apply to
Sacramento Court for warrants for the ar
rest of Mr.. Filben and his associates on a
charge Of abduction.
Defeated in all these moves, they has
tened off to San Francisco and swore ont
writ of habeas corpus in the name of a
raan claiming to be the husband of the
woman. But before Judge Toohy yester-
day it was shown that she was not re-
strained of her libert;, and remained with
her protectors of her free will, and besides
she denied emphatically that she had a
husband in the true sense, as she had been
married under duress, and had never lived
with him. Even if it had been shown
that the petitioner was in truth the hus-
band of the woman, there is no law to
compel her to go with him, a fact the
slave-drivers cannot comprehend, and
which greatly astonished them. The writ
was dismissed, and the woman was per-
mitted to remain free, Judge Toohy re-
marking: 1t is perfectly evident that
this woman Is not restrained of her liberty.
That she does not desire to go with the
petitioner, and that if she is given into
his charge she will be returned to slavery"
This IS triumph of justice, but only
the hope can be entertained that she
will retain her freedom. The slave drivers
will regain possession of the poor creature
they have bought. They will wait their
opportunity and abduct her This is al
most certain to happen. They will have
the assistance of class of lawyers, who for
pitiful fee will devise legal ways and
means by which this human being will,
when again in the hands of the Sacra
mento slavers, be retained in captivity,
and weak, not to say corrupt minor Courts,
will second their schemes.
Yet, this woman's case is but one of two
thousand, for there are upwards of two
thousand of these enslaved human
beings in California and the officers of the
law make no effort TO free them or give
force and effect to that clause of the Fed
eral Constitution which declares that
Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude.
except as punishment whereof the party
shall have been duly convicted, shall ex-
list within the United States or any place
subject to their jurisdiction"
In the teeth Of this provision, for the
establishment Of which some of the best
blood of the nation was spilled and tens
Of thousands of American citizens laid
down their lives, human slavery does erist
and the slave trade is actively and openly
carried on. On the 4th inst, Lee Moon
Dum Shee arrived in San Francisco on the
steamer City of Rio de Janerio,
with cargo Of thirteen young
female slaves. She made no especial CON
cealment of her business as Il slave trader,
and on her person carried the detailed ac-
counts and bills of sale showing what she
had paid for each human chattel. From
these documents it was learned that when
Lee Moon in August left California for
China she had S3,94G 10 in her possession.
which was thought sufficient to buy the
number of women required, but when she
got to Hongkong it was learned that
women slaves were scarce. This necessi-
tated trip to Canton, and in the items
are found various entries for expenses 70
that place. Lee Moon found her money
short and on August 10th and September
81 she borrowed S4,470 from Fan Shing.
who appeared to be the Hongkong agent
OF the slave ring. This, with the money
brought from California, when converted
INTO Chinese money, amounted to S., 49, GO.
Out of this she purchased thirteen women
ut the following prices: 500, $685., $3.50,
$500 500, $500 $4S5, $405, $780, $3.50,
$3.50 and AN old bag at $40, making a
total of S6,437 paid in the first instance
for the women. In fitting out the women
for their voyage to America she bought
two bills Of goods, amounting to S465 80,
trunks Sl4, Chinese wine, chickens and
lucky paper 81, unprecedented plates s.,
borrowed twice from her fourth aunt
$50 so, paid for boat hire 81 and exchange
Sc Is, sundries aud coolie hire $40, pur-
chased four tickets for the steamer SI.454.
and the hiring of hotel rooms cost $50 o..
In addition she spent $3.50 80 for food,
trinkets to adorn the slaves and other toilet
articles.
How long do the American people pro-
pose to remain quiescent under such infa-
nous practices by aliens? How much
longer shall it be possible for these things !
TO be. within the sound Of school bells
under the very caves of temples of Justice,
and in the heart of co nmunities that boast !
Of their freedom and that no human being
in the land can be enslaved? How much |
longer will the citizens of Sacramento sub !
nit to their Courts and peace officers being
used for the purposes Of the Chinese
,lavers?
In San Francisco things are not nearly !
% bad There the Chief of Police, on APP !
,lication of any respectable citizen, and